Bated



UNITED YSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE WASHINGTON BAIED, OE HENDEESONVILLE, NOETHnoAEOLiNA. Y

HARNESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 363,88v1,dated May 31, 1887. i

- Application tiled November 1, `1886. Serial No. 217,737. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

at Hendersonville, in the county of Henderson and State of North Carolina,have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Breeching and Holdback Straps; and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of thesame, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this speciication, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a top plan view of a pair of vehicleshafts, showipg my invention applied thereto; and Fig. 2 a detail sectional' view taken on line w x of Fig. l.

The present invention has relation to that class of harness in` which a breeching-strap is connected to adjustable clips upon the shafts of a vehicle; and the object of the invention is to improve the construction of the straps heretofore employed, whereby a combined breeching and quarter or holdback strap for the shafts of vehicles is provided which will possess increased strength and durability, and which will take the place of the ordinary cru pper, breeching, and quarter straps now in common use, whereby all danger of @hating or rubbing on the horses hind quarters is avoided and the horse less liable to sweat, as there is less harness required, and consequently it keeps the horse free and cool in warm weather; also, perfect control-of his hind parts when going into ditches or over stones, which is not the case when bound up with the quarter-strap ordinarily in use.

The construction ofthe device whereby these advantages are attained is substantially shown in the drawings, and will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents the vehcleshafts connected near their rear end by the usual cross-bar, B. To each of the shafts A are suitably attached clips C, having an upwardly-extended shank, a, provided with two or vmore perforations, b, as shown in Fig. .2, to receive screws c, as ameans of fastening thereto the ends of the metal Vstrap D, which I construct of spring-steel.

thereof being secured to the front pair of clips C by the same screw and nut, d, as secure the ends of the strap D.

Upon the outer side ofthe steel strap D is fastened a leather strap, F, which terminates ata point between the two clips, and upon the inside of the strap D is also secured a leather strap or lining, G, to prevent injury to the horse when coming in contact with his hind quarters. The strap D is further connected to the shafts by means ofthe straps eand buckles f.

By the employment ofthe spring steel strap, which is connected to theshafts, it remains in its normal position, and as it forms no part of the harness attachment to the horse it does not come in contact with his hind quarters, only when going down hill, the spring-steel from which the strap is made rendering it sufficiently rigid to assume at all times a natural position, and still enabling itto yield laterally to accommodate it to the motion of the horse.

The clips C may be adjustable upon the shafts-in any well-known manner, and the height of the strap D `may be adjusted, as circumstances may require, by meansv of the screws, nuts, and perforations in the shank of the clips.

rIhe steel brace E is of importance, and one of the specialfeat-ures of lmy iuvention,.as the strap D is materially strengthened thereby at its forward or front end, where most needed, and it provides a more rigid connection with the clips wi'thout'destroying the tlexibility or spring of the strap.

Having now fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-,

A combined breeching and quarter or holdback strap'consisting` of a strap formed of spring-steel and lined withl leather and provide-d with steel braces, said straps and braces Vbeing adjustably connected to `suitable clips on the shafts ot' the vehicle, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

GEORGE WASHINGTON BAIRD.

Witnesses:

' S. V. PURKENs,

D. M. Hons-Es. 

